Polishes -China Glaze - OMG Collection - DV8
kristen87 11/19/2008 12:22:00 PM
Meh.. I guess I was just expecting something a little bit different. I'm a teal fanatic and this really isn't. I bought this due to the colour shown in the CG ads... but they weren't really accurate. The ads show a deep turquoise whereas this was more of an electric blue
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Mascara -MAC - Fibre Rich Lash Mascara
kristen87 12/7/2007 11:02:00 PM
I love this mascara as a LENGTHENER... not as a single swipe mascara. As many people have mentioned, used on its own, it tends to clump or be quite spidery. It also loses a curl by itself. I like to use this to add length onto the corners of my eyes for a more cat's eye effect. Use a super separating mascara to add a base (ie. 2000 calorie, Plushlash, etc..) and then use this only where you have shortened lashes, or all over for added oomph. If you add too much on, the fibres tend to be quite 'sticky' and will form spikey mono-lashes. I love this mascara as an alternative to fake lashes (which will always make me look like a drag queen). If you take your time and are sure to brush through your lashes it will be just fine.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eyes -Revlon - Lash Jewels Eye Accents
kristen87 7/29/2007 2:38:00 PM
I think the problem most people have is expecting one turn to become one pearl. It doesn't work. Turn the dial until the product is almost at the tip. Rotate the dial a bit until part of the bead comes out and release (aka don't click it). This will allow you to control the flow without too much gushing out. With the tube place the bead onto your eyelash, allowing the hair to penetrate the goo. Withdraw and a tiny bit will be left on the lash. Repeat and on the next lash you want a pearl. When they've all been 'primed' go back to the first and encase that dot in the goo again. It's a slow process but it does allow you to get large enough pearls. When the gel is still wet, you can encase eye-safe glitter in it if you are quick. A lot of people have been saying that the product doesn't dry, but the outside of each pearl does tend to cure slightly. The only problems I've had was with the gel attaching to 2 lashes and coming off completely when I tried to separate them. I enjoy them, but I'm still wanting to buy the givenchy instead.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Mascara -Lancome - Fatale [DISCONTINUED]
kristen87 7/27/2007 1:55:00 AM
Ugh ugh Ugh!! I am having so much problem with this product. I bought it last week and before I had opened it I was starting to have major doubts about it's 30 dollar price tag. Lo and behold my waterbottle exploded in my bag soaking and destroying its packaging. So here I am with this mascara. Grrr. I tried using the brush for it and gee.. I end up with 4 spider lashes. I get that it's a brush therefore it should be easier to stroke and unclump.. but.. I'm a klutz? I guess I'm used to lash building formulas that rely on visible microfibres. This formula just... kinda.. latched on. It gave my lashes the same width from root to tip which I don't really like. I'm used to lashes that gradually thin from the roots out. Oy. I tried using this mascara with the MAC 205 and the results were *slightly* better. I hope I just need to practice more and it'll work but as of right now... eew.
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - #187 Duo Fiber Face Brush (Stippling, Skunk Brush)
kristen87 7/27/2007 1:48:00 AM
I am absolutely addicted to this brush!! I don't use foundations so I've only tried it with powdered products. I have one for bronzer/contouring and the other for blush/highlighters. I love the fact that it can take a highly pigmented product and dissipate it over the skin in a natural way. I was scared of matte/satin blushes and bronzers but I find this works fabulously. $50 dollars may seem steep but it is sooo worth it. Even if you don't use it everyday it'll at least let you use up your highly pigmented powders!
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Blush -MAC - Satin Blush - Fleur Power
kristen87 7/27/2007 1:44:00 AM
I LOOOOOOOOOOVE this blush!! I love matte/satin/non shimmery blushes because it can give you the most natural flush. Definately apply this with a looser bristled blush -- I prefer the 187 -- since you will look like a clown otherwise. Less is more with this blush. Start faint and build up slowly!! If you must have that little bit of sparkle layer either a MSF (porcelain pink looks lovely) or a BP (pearl sunshine!)
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Blush -MAC - Mineralize Skinfinish in Northern Light
kristen87 7/24/2007 12:33:00 AM
In the pan it is a slightly pinkier version of Glissade (which was disappointing) but a far cry from the glorious coral of Stereo Rose (which was more disappointing). Applied, it is much warmer and pinker than Glissade (which is more of a pink champagne tone). It gives a pink glow as opposed to Glissade's golden glow (which kind of makes me look sweaty). Of the blushes I own, I would reckon the colour is similar to peachykeen. In my opinion it is still similar to the older MSF consistency without the little death veins of glitter -- which could be due to the fact mine has hardly any copper veins. Lovely but not amazing.
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Masks -Unlisted Brand - Aspirin Mask
kristen87 7/24/2007 12:29:00 AM
Mmmm love this mask. I used to use a small 5g jar and the back of a highlighter (ha) to smoosh it and chop it. Then I did an Ikea trip and grabbed a mortar and pestle (or should I say a VICKNING). Easy peasy. Smash each capsule once to break through it's then film/binder and then smoosh it bits. I add a little bit of water and make it into a paste. If you add too much water don't fret. Hold the bowl on an angle for a couple of seconds and then quickly roll it to the side. The powder should fall out of suspension a great consistency. It tends to even out bumps on my skin but sometimes it's hit or miss with actual pimples. Sometimes it'll zap them away but other times it inflames them. Oops. But overall my skin is smoother and tighter. The only gripe I have is that no matter how carefully I apply it, as it dries I'll inhale a bit and sneeze. Phooey
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Brows -Make Up For Ever - Make Up For Ever Waterproof Eyebrow Corrector
kristen87 7/23/2007 4:15:00 AM
I've been using benefit brow-zings for the last 2 years. I loved the waxy side as it gave me the best staying power and was easy to apply using the 266. I didn't really end up loving the powder side. It was quite a bit lighter than the wax and let's face it -- powder doesn't stick. I tried mixing layering etc... but I ended up blazing through the wax and put nary a dent in the powder. I wanted to find a less wasteful option since I figured I would never touch the powder and it would be such a waste. Enter MUFE. I went to the counter, grabbed it and bought it (while having my eyes bulge a bit at it's 30 dollar price tag for 5mL of product). Then I went home and used it with my trusty 266.... and swore my head off. It looked like I had drawn on my eyebrows with a crayon. ERGH!!! So I decided to try again (sorry for making this into the longest story ever) and it's amaaaazing! Works just like browzings without the guilt. Take the tube and place the tiniest drop on the back of your hand. Smear the excess onto your hand too. Using the 266 (or any other angled brush) take a dab of the product and smear it across your hand. It should leave behind a dry line. If it leaves a wet line you have too much product in your brush (and it will leave crayola-tastic brows). Use a smooth motion to trace the underside of my brows to get rid of most of the product. Then with short gentle sweeps push the product from that line into your brows. Once that is gone, reload your brush with the smear method and define the top and tail of your brows using small strokes. Using the edge of my brush I sparsely fill between the lines in the direction of the hairs. Then, take a spoolie (the tighter the better) and brush in the direction of the hair to make it more natural. Using the tip stroke at the "head" of the brows to lessen the intensity. Finish with shelaq if you feel like it. EDIT: I still love this product but I use a less wasteful approach to applying it. Squeeze out a tiny bit of product, pick it up on the edge of your brush and then smear the excess on the tip of the tube instead of the back of your hand. Since it's against plastic it doesn't dry out as fast/you can pick up more product. You can also cover it with the cap for the next time and it'll still be moist/usable.
15 out of 15 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Gold Mode
kristen87 7/23/2007 3:25:00 AM
I'm pretty sure this is the standout pigment from the collection. It was sold out at a few of the counters (and the MA had to take it from a bag that was on hold!! -- but don't worry that shopper had bought it from another counter already). I love me some neutral champagne tones. Golder than sunnydaze with a little bit of a glitter sheen. But actually pretty damn similar to dazzleray pigment (sliiightly deeper with a twinge of mauve). It applies better than both sunnydaze and dazzleray anywayI never grabbed dazzleray so I'll grab this now.
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - pigment in Mauvement
kristen87 7/23/2007 3:19:00 AM
Ergh. Gotta agree with sugarash. What is up with the chunkies?!? Stupid shadow. This would have been amazing if it was milled finer and actually stuck! But after working it a bit I kinda like it. It has the same gold microglitter as other pigments from this collection which give a little rainbow effect (reminding me of 3d gold glitter). It's lustre like in application but meh.. I'll rock it. It's hard to compare this shadow to any of the ones I have. In the jar it looks purply, mauvish.. but on my hand it comes out as a golden midrange beige (think UD YDK) Bah.. my head hurts trying to make somewhat decent comparisons.
2 out of 2 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Eye Shadow -MAC - Cocomotion Pigment (Rushmetal)
kristen87 7/23/2007 3:10:00 AM
I went to MAC today and literally grabbed 5 things in 2 minutes and left. This was one of them. In the jar it is a dirty golden colour, quite similar to Romp. Compared to the colours I have.. its a yellower mid-tone between bagatelle and woodwinked. Seeing as I love both of those colours desperately I think I'll have to keep it. Like many of the pigments from this collection it has a fine gold microglitter. It really needs to be packed on, but when done well it looks like a frost. Oh and cocomotion is the least helpful name for a pigment ever!!
1 out of 1 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No
Polishes -OPI - Light My Sapphire
kristen87 7/23/2007 2:58:00 AM
Meh. I'm not amazingly sold on this product. Perhaps I'm blind compared to most reviewers but to me.. it's black. I'm not really getting any subtle blue/silver/purple nuances. Under light, it gives a sliiiight bluish grey reflection, as opposed to blacks which are usually a true grey. Understandably, being a slight shimmer it gives a different effect than a normal black polish. It stays remarkably shiny and kind of has a "leather" shine. I dunno. can't really explain that last point. Overall.. it's nicer than 'normal' blacks but nothing to write home about.
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Tools -OPI - Brilliance Emery Box
kristen87 7/2/2007 2:47:00 AM
I LOOOVE the Brilliance block! My HG colour is My Private Jet and I find that the top coats I use for it either are super shiny (and mask the shimmer) or are completely dull (and enhance the shimmer). I was complaining to my boss who works for OPI and he gave me one. My nails look like liquid vinyl!
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Makeup Brushes -MAC - #213 Fluff Brush
kristen87 2/12/2007 2:19:00 PM
I'm going to admit it. When I first saw this brush I scoffed at it. "An over-priced fluff brush? Why the hell would I need that?!?" I did my rounds with the other "more interesting" paddle-type brushes first.. the 239.. 272.. 228.. 246.. 242. They each seemed so much more original than the plain ol' fluff. So like any other relentless MAC addict.. I had to give in and buy it. I received an SE (although full size) one in a swap and someone was selling a regular one for insanely cheap. Still I was yet to be impressed. The SE was a bit more fun as it was less fluffy and more paddle shaped. I just used them for brow highlights and that was it. Again.. not really that impressed. Also at this time.. I was out of my bold makeup phase and strictly doing neutral smokey/retro looks. Suffice to say the eyeliner was the most interesting thing going on. Anywhoo.. I recently got back into doing brighter looks (trying out the Barbie look of course) and I had to grab it to blend some colours into the lid (normally I use my 239's). I was impressed! It was able to diffuse the colour and blend it well.. while still packing the pigment on pretty well. Then I started to use it to blend colours out. I have asian eyes.. they're average sized with a crease.. but not a deep crease at all. 224 is a large muddy mess for me. I haven't bought the 222. The 217 is great for blending out edges but too fluffy for anything else. As of recently.. I've been using the 272 for anything remotely crease/non-mobile lid. It had been working well for neutral/brown looks..but come time for the brights I realised how muddy my colours became. Cue time for blending pinks and whites and greens and all of a sudden i was wearing brown again. Strange. So I used the 213 to start blending intermediates on my lid (as before I'd been only using one upper lid colour) and it worked amazingly well. I realised before I'd been pretty much smearing colour everywhere and this brush was definately useful. I find I prefer the 213SE as it iiis slightly stiffer and flatter for applying shadows (239 but smaller and softer) and the regular size for blending out edges/intermediates. If you can manage to find a 213SE grab it. It's not from a holiday set though and is exactly the same dimensions as my 213 except for the flare of the bristles...
3 out of 4 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you? Yes No